SITE DETAILS

Christians have worshipped on this site for over 1000 years, but the present church of St Peter and St Paul was built in the 1950s following the destruction of the old church in an air raid on 16 April 1941 that left only the C15th tower standing. The churchyard was enlarged in 1843 and 1863 and contains many tombs and monuments, including the pink granite obelisk to Coles Child, Lord of the Manor (d.1873). There are mature lime and horse chestnut trees, and a beech hedge surrounds the WWI memorial, initially positioned outside the east end of the church. The C19th lych gate was also relocated to its present site after the church was rebuilt following WWII bombing.

The information shown above was correct at the time of the last update 01/11/2007
Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.pcd.org.uk; www.bromleyparishchurch.org

Fuller information:

Christians have worshipped on this site for over 1000 years and the parish of Bromley was previously in the county of Kent. The tower of the present church dates from the C15th, but the medieval church was largely rebuilt in red brick in 1792, and major works to the building took place in 1883. The present church was built in the 1950s following the destruction of the old church in an air raid on 16 April 1941 that left only the flint tower standing. This had been restored in 1924 when its decayed rag stone gargoyles and dressings were cut out and replaced by Clipsham stone. The foundation stone of the new church was laid by Princess Elizabeth, as she was then, in October 1949. It was designed by J Harold Gibbons and completed by 1957, now positioned further back from the road; it was extended to the west in 1983.

The churchyard contains many monuments and tombstones, including a number dating from the C17th such as that of Richard Gratwicke (d.1674). The burial ground was enlarged to the west in 1843 and to the east in 1863, but lost a strip from the east end when Tetty Way was built in the 1960s. Among the monuments is the pink granite obelisk to Coles Child, Lord of the Manor, who died in 1873. Other local families buried here include the Champion family whose large tomb under holly trees records burials between at least 1774 and 1870; the Emmett family and the Dunn family. Dr Johnson's wife, Elizabeth, was buried in the church in 1752. Much of the paving in the churchyard consists of re-used gravestones. The churchyard has mown grass between the tombs and monuments with 13 mature lime and horse chestnut trees on the borders, the north and east boundaries with flint redbrick-capped walls. In the north west of the churchyard is a group of yews, hollies, cypresses and other trees and there are a few shrubs between the road and car park located to the north of the church.

A high beech hedge surrounds the small war memorial lawn, with its WWI memorial, a Portland stone column designed and built by Mr Sydney March. This was initially outside the east end of the church. The oak lych gate was erected in 1855, designed by Mr St Aubyn, and moved to its present site after the church was rebuilt following WWII bombing.

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.